It's up to you, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof. As chairman of the Malaysian Election Commission, you have the authority to accede immediately and unconditionally to these eight demands. We know you are answerable to your political masters in UMNO.

However, if you are indeed a man of honor and believe in universal virtues like fairness, integrity and the importance of clean and fair elections, then there is absolutely no reason why you cannot call a media conference within a week and declare your wholehearted support of BERSIH 2.0's demands - which are entirely reasonable and can only bring the nation one step closer to political maturity. If your masters in UMNO disagree, the least you can do is resign in protest. This way you will be lauded for your courage and nobility - instead of reviled as another corrupt functionary of a morally decadent and increasingly unpopular regime.

Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof

Many of us are looking forward to some street action on July 9th - but if you take the initiative and listen to the voice of the voters, we are more than happy to quietly celebrate at home this major victory for democracy.

KEADILAN is alarmed at the blatant antagonism shown by authorities towards the peaceful BERSIH rally planned on 9 July 2011. Strong statements bordering threats made by the highest echelon of the Home Ministry speak volume of Barisan Nasional’s zero tolerance policy towards freedom of speech and the right to assemble.

There is a much bigger and fundamental issue relating to BERSIH rally beyond the question of constitutional right for freedom of speech and the right to assemble. At the heart of BERSIH is the most pertinent issue that will determine whether or not we can progress as a society in tandem with rakyat’s expectation. BERSIH is about the integrity of our electoral system; the absence of which will continue to hamper any efforts to uplift our society economically and socially.

Barisan Nasional’s attitude that promises economic growth without the accompanying accountability and political integrity will continue to erode rakyat’s confidence in our national system. The ability and right of a citizen to elect a party of his choice independently and without manipulation is central to the political integrity that the rakyat now demands loudly of any political parties in Malaysia.

Therefore, KEADILAN considers BERSIH rally as a necessity to provide the early catalyst to our society to embrace progressiveness. BERSIH rally will be a test to its proponents and detractors – a test of resolve to gauge how important is electoral integrity for the former; and a test of tolerance and openness for the latter.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon the organiser and participants of the rally to avoid any confrontation and not to be tricked by any provocation attempts to create chaos. I ask that the planning for the rally must take into account measures to quickly reduce tensions if there is a provocation. The onus is also on the participants to equip themselves with adequate knowledge on crowd control and safety precautions before joining the rally.

On the part of the authorities, we continue to hope that they will reciprocate the organiser’s offer to work together to ensure a smooth and peaceful rally. PDRM must ensure the safety of the participants first and take action professionally on any attempts to provoke or create chaos by any parties.

The BERSIH rally can be a new milestone in our country’s march towards a fully functioning democracy. The yearning for greater accountability in our electoral system is a permanent feature of our society; so it is best to manage it with reasons and level-headedness. In this context, our society does not need further provocative statements and threats issued at BERSIH rally organisers and participants. It is more matured for the groups opposed to the rally to respect the right of a sizeable voice in our society to gather and express their views, just as the same right has been exercised over and over again by these few Umno-linked groups previously.

KEADILAN has committed fully to the cause of improving our electoral system since its inception. BERSIH rally is the paragon of the cause and as such, KEADILAN will ensure our members to come in large numbers and join the expected hundreds of thousands of Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur on 9 July 2011.

For a start, KEADILAN has started to test our own mobilisation capacity this weekend in conjunction with our National Election Convention, throughout which the instruction for big mobilisation to our members will feature prominently.

I ask a similar openness and a little compassion from the authorities. By providing the proverbial safety valve in allowing BERSIH rally to proceed peacefully, this will hasten our society’s maturity to manage differing views and opinions. Such maturity is key to unlocking our society’s potential in future years.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

As long as Dr Mahathir Mohamad is still breathing, Najib Abdul Razak can't be accused of being the world's most pathological liar. But that doesn't stop him striving for the number one spot.

Posing as an enlightened leader of a progressive Malaysia and preaching reform, inclusiveness, integrity and good governance around the world Najib (right) presides over a corrupt, repressive and outright criminal Razakstan of his own.

He was at it again last week, jetting off to Kazakhstan with 250 of his closest relatives and cronies to treat the World Islamic Economic Forum to a dose of his sanctimonious, hypocritical drivel.

"Good governance should come naturally for Muslim nations," he declared, going on to claim that Muslim nations have long known that "justice, equity, probity and prosperity for all, including women," as advocated by the fourth caliph, son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, "are not merely the preserve of Western democracies."

"Governing as Ali ordered with justice, equity and probity," he continued, was "not about falling in line with Western attitudes, but acting in line with Quranic teachings."

Unfortunately, however, Quranic teachings appear to have little to no effect on the government of any Muslim-majority nation on the planet, very much including Najib's own.

In fact, for all the imperfections of the Western democracies, they are the only source of hope, inspiration and protection for people denied justice, equity and probity by Quran-defying governments from the Middle East to Africa and Asia. Russia couldn't care less, and China is always on the side of its fellow suppressors of the people.

Razakstan-style regimes wreak havoc

So it's the Western democracies that are spending untold quantities of blood, sweat, tears and treasure on protecting the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya from the malevolence of their Muslim governments. And it's Western democracies that are exerting political, financial and legal pressure to persuade the rulers of Syria, Iran, Pakistan and dozens of other Razakstan-style regimes to stop robbing and killing their citizens.

In his speech to the gathering in Kazakhstan, Najib tried to excuse the appalling state of Muslim governments, with the disclaimer that "in a world characterised by unbridled political influence, unequal competition and opportunities, strong family ties, unlimited greed, inadequate rules and regulations and poor enforcement, good governance is easier said than done."

Then, ignoring the fact that the aforesaid "unbridled political influence, unequal competition and opportunities, strong family ties, unlimited greed, inadequate rules and regulations and poor enforcement" all-too-accurately describes his own Umno/BN regime, he went on to present Malaysia as a paragon of progress.

"Numerous initiatives and measures to inculcate good values and ethical conduct, integrity and efforts to combat corruption in all sectors of society have been introduced," he lied, given that all of these so-called 'measures' are nothing but cosmetic.

Najib then added insult to perjury by claiming that "in order to provide a healthy mechanism of checks and balances, the government also welcomed comments and views from within its own institutions as well as from religious organisations, minority groups, the media and business."

This glowing portrait of Malaysia as an oasis of reform in a desert of Muslim-government turpitude is simply too preposterous for words, considering that Najib has absolutely no intention to reform what it actually his own Razakstan.

Reality far from expectations

Far from aspiring to the "good values, ethical conduct and integrity" that Najib claims, his regime conceals its financial and other crimes against the Malaysian people with an Official Secrets Act as draconian as any on earth.

Far from combating corruption, the Najib regime employs the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as its shock-troops, security guards and assassins.

Far from welcoming sundry comments and views from all, it employs the nation's media as its paid propagandists and suppresses free speech by means of its appalling Printing, Presses and Publications Act.

And far from promoting religious and racial unity, as Najib's fake "1Malaysia" slogan pretends to proclaim, the government does its damndest to foment discord through the regime-owned gutter 'newspaper' Utusan Malaysia and through race-hate pressure groups like Perkasa (or, as I prefer to think of it, Pukeasa).

Despite the dire reality of his Razakstan regime, however, Najib had the gall to issue a rallying call to his partners-in-crime at the Kazakhstan conference to join him on "a journey that does not end until good governance truly becomes the mainstream value of all Muslim nations."

And no sooner had he returned from his Kazakhstan jaunt to be in full cry again during the opening of the Wasatiyyah Convention at the First Millennium of Islam in the Archipelago in Putridjaya, calling on Muslims "to set their house in order first before they can become the guiding light for mankind, like their forefathers."

"Why is it that corruption, maladministration, mismanagement and inefficiency are often associated with the administration of an Islamic state when we know that Islamic teachings, as contained in the Quran and the sunnah of the Prophet, can serve as guidance?" he asked.

Precisely the question I've been asking myself, and in fact the entire civilised world has been asking of rulers of Razakstan-style regimes for what seems like forever.

Cruel intentions made clear

Not that Muslim nations are by any means on their own in the gruesome-government department. Buddhist Burma, the Catholic Philippines and Kim-worshipping North Korea, to name just a few, are all as bad if not worse than their Islamic counterparts.

In fact religion or the lack thereof has nothing to do with government criminality - a point Najib is demonstrating by his willingness to extend an ecumenical welcome to two of the world's arch-criminals for the Langkawi International Dialogue on June 19 to 21.

The Muslim president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, has the dubious distinction of being the first serving head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, and is now a fugitive from justice.

And Robert Mugabe, the non-Muslim dictator of Zimbabwe, an old crony of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir, is one of the most reviled figures on the international stage, having spent decades destroying his nation's economy and civil institutions.

Consorting with such scum provides the ultimate example of Najib's fraudulent attempts to be perceived as a reformer, let alone a 'religious' one, and once and for all demonstrates the reality of his intention to keep running - and ruining - Malaysia like some kind of Umno/BN Razakstan.

DEAN JOHNS, after many years in Asia, currently lives with his Malaysian-born wife and daughter in Sydney, where he mentors creative writing groups. Already published in Kuala Lumpur is a third book of his columns for Malaysiakini, following earlier collections 'Mad about Malaysia' and 'Even Madder about Malaysia'.

[Cloned from Malaysiakini with thanks. Dean Johns has done it again by coming up with Razakstan to describe the pitiable state of affairs in Malaysia under bandit and pirate misrule!]

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

My friend and colleague Hussein Hamid (better known as SteadyAku47) has uploaded a few video recordings of Anwar Ibrahim's recent speeches as the Opposition Leader tirelessly crisscrosses the nation getting voters into shape for the biggest battle in Malaysian history: GE13!

No point reinventing the wheel. Just view them at Hussein's blog - thanks!

AP photo

More strength, stamina, and power to you, DSAI! With you since 2 September 1998.... REFORMASI!

Monday, June 13, 2011

I salute the members of PGC who did a fantastic job presenting the wishes of the people to the IAEA panel commissioned by the Najib regime. Thank you for sticking your necks out on behalf of all decent Malaysians!

The Coalition supports resolutely the demand of the people of Pahang and Malaysia to stop LAMP from operating in Malaysia based on the following reasons:

1. The project will cause grave ecology disaster to the environment of Pahang and the whole of Malaysia resulting in irreversible damage to the flora, fauna and human settlements.

2. The toxic chemicals emitted during the manufacturing process and the radioactive waste products will severely damage the health and well-being of the population of Pahang and Malaysia.

3. A severely damage ecology will affect fishing, agricultural and animal husbandry industries whose products will be contaminated and hence will be rejected by both the local and international markets.

4. Once contaminated, the palm oil exports will not be accepted by the international communities with the dire consequences of causing a possible collapse of the palm oil industries in Malaysia resulting in irrevocable damage to the national economy.

5. The property prices in and around Kuantan have already seen a sharp decline due to the fear of chemical and radioactive contamination of the environment. The tourism industries will similarly experience a decline as tourists avoid visiting a contaminated environment.

6. The radioactive waste will last for an infinite period of time thus further endangering the health and life of generations to come.

The risks to the community far outweigh the benefits which will largely be gained by Lynas since it will enjoy a period of 12 years of tax exemption. The employment opportunities purported is facile if the risks to the workers were taken into account.

Malaysia has endured a tragic experience when Mitsubishi Corporation established the Asian Rare Earth Plant in Bukit Merah Perak about 30 years ago. It is an undeniable fact that the people of Bukit Merah suffered grievous bodily harm till today as Mitsubishi is still attempting to clean up the radioactive waste in the region.

NB: A detailed study of the EIA and RIA reports will be submitted in due course in view of the short notice of invitation by MITI to this consultation as well as the late release of EIA and RIA reports by MITI on the 30th May 2011.